The *Elden Ring: Nightreign* Patch 1.01.1 is now live, bringing much-needed adjustments to the solo player experience. This update aims to soften the challenge for those tackling the latest FromSoftware title alone. However, one determined player didn't wait for the patch and successfully conquered every Nightlord boss in solo mode before any difficulty reductions took effect.

Since launch, the single-player difficulty in *Elden Ring: Nightreign* has sparked considerable discussion within the gaming community. Many players have voiced concerns over how significantly harder solo play feels compared to co-op runs with a trio of friends. As noted in our IGN review:

"None of this is to say that solo play is outright impossible, and I *have* had a few successful runs on my own. Just that the balancing of solo play feels like a job half finished, and as a result, the frustration of playing alone wasn’t worth the triumph for me to have any desire to play more without a squad."

In response to this feedback, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware announced a timely update aimed at improving the solo experience. For many, this change will likely be a relief. But over on the r/Nightreign subreddit, user "Valseran" shared proof of their impressive feat: defeating all Nightlords from the opening expedition to the final boss—all without assistance. Their motivation? “Wanted to rush them down before the nerf.”

This is no small accomplishment. While some players have managed solo victories against select bosses—like YouTuber Ongbal—Valseran's completion of every Nightlord ahead of the patch is both remarkable and fitting. The posted evidence shows steady progress, with clear times logged days before the update hit. Most of these wins came using Ironeye, though the Duchess and Executor made appearances during early expeditions.

When asked for advice on playing Ironeye, Valseran offered the following:

"Don't worry too much about getting a good bow so much as stacking weapon passives in your other slots. Ranged dmg, dmg while Two-handing, and dmg while at full health can all stack and really cause your damage output to get absurd. Any purple quality bow will shine with some decent passives. Also his dash ability is great dmg output but I tend to save it as a dodge when I know an attack that’s difficult to roll is on the way. I tend to use his Art for the same reason against bosses, more for the invulnerability than the damage."

Although Ironeye was the primary choice, Valseran admitted to switching to melee weapons even while playing as him, depending on the boss. Some encounters, however, were described as "just a nightmare solo" without a ranged option. They ranked the final boss as the most challenging, though they died the most to Fulghor, Champion of Nightglow—a centaur-like adversary.

Extra lives also played a crucial role in survival. Without teammates to revive you, having backup lives proved essential. Valseran explained that merchants and certain field bosses would drop extra lives depending on the expedition: "One of my boss fights I went in with 4 extra lives, but at the very least, always get one early."

Patch 1.01.1 introduces a new mechanic called "Automatic Revival Upon Defeat," which grants solo players a free revival during a night boss battle once per night. Valseran believes this addition will make a meaningful difference in solo runs. Since stacking extra lives was already recommended for single-player, having one automatically applied is a significant boost.

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While solo players may now find some of the toughest challenges in *Elden Ring: Nightreign* slightly more manageable, Valseran's solo clears serve as a testament to skill, preparation, and determination. For everyone else, *Elden Ring: Nightreign* is now available with a slightly more forgiving solo experience. If you're looking to take on the eight Nightlord bosses, we’ve got plenty of tips and tricks to help you succeed. Want to unlock the Revenant or the Duchess? Check out our guides on How to Unlock the Revenant, How to Unlock the Duchess, and How to Change Characters for optimal gameplay strategies.